Conductor terminal



Aug. 21, 1928. C. G. MERIDETH CON )UCTOR TERMINAL Fil ad June 50, 1927 (iii hntented Aug, 21, 1928.

GHAELES; GEQBGE- MERIDEIII, 0F EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

CC EJ'DUCTUR TERM'EN'AL.

Application, filed June 30, 1927. Serial No, 202,544.

provision of an improved quick-attachable and detachable conductor terminal having novel means whereby it may be applied to, or removed. from, the battery post or tcrnn nal without requiring the use of a'tool; second, to provide an'improved terminal clamp which will serve the double purpose of securing the conductor and clamping the terminal and conductor to the battery post; third, to provide a one-piece, preferably stamped, combined conductor and battery post gripping or clamping device, and a quick-acting hand operated element whereby the combined conductor terminal and battery post gripping member may be secured to, or

released from, the battery post.

Other objects and characteristics of the invention will appear from the annexed specification, and thenovel features and combinations of parts are set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l, is a plan view showing the invention clamped to a battery post;

Fig. 2, is a similar view, showing the device in open condition;

Fig. 3, is a horizontal section showing the device clamped on a battery post; and

' lligs, 4 and 5, are opposite side elevations showing the device clamped on a battery post.

Any suitable conducting material is employed for those parts of the devicereqniring electrical contact with the end of the con.

the use ofwrcnches, screw drivers, pliers, or

other special tools, thus enabling any person to'apply or remove the device when desired. Another feature of the present invention 1 is that the terminal so constructed that the act of clamping it [around the battery post, also clamps the terminal on the end of the conductor, thus doingaway with special nipples, orother fittings which have been required solely'to attach the terminal to the conductor, irrespective of the clamping means which may be used to secure the ter-' minal to the battery post.

The conductor to which the terminal is applied is of any kind commonly used and is designated 1. 7

:lhe battery post is shown at 2. I

My improved terminal comprises/but two elements, namely the terminal proper 3, and the cam lever at by which it is closed or allowed to open;

The terminal 3 is preferably made in a single piece, stamped from any suitable sheet metal of conducting properties. formed of sheet metal, there is a certain inherent resiliency which causes the-terminal to open when the cam lever 4 is'released, as shown in Fig. 2, so that it can be'readily applied to, or removed from, the battery post 2.

The terminal. has a hand with a nearly complete substantially circular part 5 which is adapted to receive the battery post 2. One of the projecting plates or ends of the strap is shown at 6 and is provided with ears 7 between which is located the cam lever 4 which has any suitable pivotal connection 8 with said ears or lugs 7 The other end of the band 9 lies between the lugs 7 and is ositioned to be forced by the cam lever l trom the position'shoivn in Fig. 2 to that appearing in Figs, 1 and 3 for the purpose of clamping the terminal on the. post When the cam lever eiis swung to the position shown in Fig. 2, the inherent resiliency of the metal of the terminal causes the clamping band or strip to open.

Being of a hollow head 10 rising from, and being narrower than, the nearly circular part 5 of the clamping band or strip. lhis bead is preferably closed at its inner end 11 although it is not essential that this be so. The other end 12 is open to receive the end of the conductor 1. The inner face of the head 10 is open so that the end of the conductor is contact With the battery post 2 so that when the cam lever t is swung to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, not only is the terminal clamped around thehsttery post, but the conductor is drawn tightly agsinstthe post so that good electrical contact is effected. When the ter iinal is cleinped on the post 2 the gripping action isnot only against the-conductor end but certain parts of the strap are in engegementwith the post as shown at 14 nd 15.

By reason or the partly circular form assumed by the conductor end, the cam action causes the conductor to be very tightly gripped between the Walls of the head 10 and the battery post so that slippa e from vibration or other causes is prevented.

neeneve What I claim is:

A conductor terminal comprising a contractible band of general circular shape having an arc-shaped hollow head which is open at its inner face and is adapted to receive the end of the conductor and to hold said end in aroshsped arrangement exposed for clirect contact with a battery post or other terminal, said band being" provided With overlapping end parts, and a. cam lever cerried by one of said ends and co-operating with the other end for the purpose of etlectin clamping of the band and conductor end on he battery post. u

In testimony whereof I avfiix my signature.

CHARLES onoses MERIDETH. 

